Skill Matrix for Cloud Solution Architect: AWS, Microsoft Azure, and GCP

Skill Matrix for Cloud Solution Architect: AWS, Microsoft Azure, and GCP

We live in a digital age, where the skills required are constantly changing as more roles emerge. Whether you are a freshie or an experienced cloud expert, you always need to evaluate your skills. Regardless of what your goals are, it is important to stay updated because the cloud is everchanging. 

Let’s take a step back and learn the benefits of the cloud and how you could prosper as a cloud solution architect in 2023. 

What Does a Cloud Solution Architect Do?

Cutting right to the chase, a cloud solution architect primarily focuses on;

• Finding technology solutions to help businesses overcome obstacles and achieve the required goals.
• Describing the essence of the selected solutions. In addition, the structure and how it will fit perfectly with the structure of the business.
• Defining the solution requirements and its core features alongside the implementation phase.
• Providing specifics for the management of the solution and delivery.
• Analyzing how the solution will impact the business goals and the outcomes after implementation.

What Are a Cloud Solution Architect’s Skills and Qualifications?

Think of a cloud solution architect as a strategist. The work of a solution architect has a major impact on multiple aspects of business operations. Given the scope of the work, this role can only be filled by someone with a particular skill set. That is to say, as a solution architect, you need to make the business processes efficient and highly productive.

Cloud Solution Architect – Skills Required

The key skills required to get hired as a cloud solution architect are:

1. Capable of offering consultation to management and engineering teams. This includes technical advice regarding;

• Project management
• Business analysis
• Software architecture design, engineering, DevOps
• Cloud infrastructure, architecture, and development

2. Experienced in development and must have a technical background.
3. Excellent communication skills.

• Interpreting the essentials to the stakeholders
• Keeping in touch with them
• Closely handling the product delivery process
• Keeping in touch with development teams, relevant architects, business analysts, etc.,

4. Project management and resource management skills.

• Understanding and being able to explain which cloud solutions are the most beneficial. Also, solutions that are inadequate for the particular needs of the business.
• Capable of accounting for provided deadlines.
• Good knowledge of how to achieve required solutions and goals in the provided timeframe with available resources

5. Deep analytical skills and capable of seeing connections and patterns between separate business operations.

• Practical understanding of specifics of the technology
• Thoroughly addressing corporate strategy needs

Certifications Required to Become a Cloud Solution Architect

There are several cloud solution architect certifications that you can go for. However, if you look up the stats, the cloud market is dominated by AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. If you want to earn around 160,000 USD to 230,000 USD per year as a solution architect, then we recommend these certifications:

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect
• Google Professional Cloud Architect
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert

Skill Matrix for Cloud Solution Architect

The skill matrix for cloud solution architect is as follows.

• Working experience with enterprise architecture
• Understanding of, and experience with cloud architecture frameworks
• Understanding and working experience with AWS, Microsoft Azure, or GCP
• Excellent knowledge of cloud infrastructure, security, and governance
• ServiceNow
• SAP Business Warehouse
• Informatica
• Data Management
• Software Development Lifecycle
• Big Data Analytics
• ESB (Enterprise Service Bus)
• Apache Kafka

Cloud Architect Salary in 2023

The following salaries were taken as average from survey data collected up to December 2022.

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect Salary: 196,133 USD per year

Salary Break Down:

• Google Professional Cloud Architect: 332,479 USD per year

Salary Break Down:

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert Salary: 243,391 USD per year

Salary Break Down:

Final Thoughts – Skill Matrix for Cloud Solution Architect

To sum up everything, a cloud solution architect is the real deal. This is where all the skills and success are at. As a solution architect, you work with strategies to help businesses grow. You have the responsibility of bringing business needs together and coming up with technological solutions. In this time and age, every single business needs a solution architect.